So why the Detroit hate?

[madhatter1]

The reason I posted this is because it is widely though to avoid a DD powered boat or repower to get rid of them. But why if they (in reasonable HP output) give thousands of serviceable life. And then be rebuilt at a (at least in boaters $) reasonable cost.

The 46 I bought would need at least $150K to 200K to "properly" repower. By proper I mean quality install and fabrication, not the highest HP that can be stuffed in. No way can I afford that nor would it make sense given the current values of the grand old boats. Yes it is worth it to some needing speed and fuel economy (what is actually realized) for fishing and no knocks against them. But why are they generally condemned while perfectly functional and also economically sound. Like I said the 8-71's in the Bertram were tired old mosquito cloud makes and still made power and got the job done.

My 23 year old used and abused (yes, I am the guilty one) Cummins in my 34 could be condemned by a surveyor yet I could leave tomorrow for the keys with nothing more than fresh oil, filters, and basic maintenance. Yet also substandard by todays benchmark.

As I said I may be an older fool but I won't sit stuck because some stupid sensor read wrong and put me in limp mode.

[MV Mystery]

It all depends on your intended use and involvement. I love my Detroits. Theres something to be said about mechanicls as opposed to CPU controlled as well. Many new boaters just want to start-up and go - maybe the new-fangled diesels are more fool-proof for this bunch.
For the more hands-on boater- the Detroits give great service and barring all thats been said about leaks, smoke, economy and parts availability, these engines will provide great service and will go on to outlast us!
Plus they can still take you home with a few things wrong - theres many great stories of this!

[rsmith]

Because they’re all just jealous!

[jim rosenthal]

ACtually there are quite a few sales of DD-powered boats, and the fact that those boats have DDs doesn't seem to hold back the market at all. Certainly not the way having Cat 3116s or 3126s would hold down the value of a boat. Or 3196s or 3176s.

People looking at old boats either expect them to have old engines, or be repowered with newer ones. In either case, you get an engine survey, you sea trial the boat, etc etc. DDs in particular are well-known for holding up, particularly in lower hp ratings, and high-hour DDs which will pass an engine survey and sea trial shouldn't scare anyone off. The vices of these engines, such as they are, are well-known and parts and service are still available. If I were looking for, for example, a Hatteras 53MY, I would expect it to have DDs and would rather have them in there than anything else they had originally. As an example, Cummins V8 diesels of the time were good engines, but the parts prices are now insane and finding people to work on them is more difficult than finding someone to work on DDs.

I don't see any hate going on against DDs. People are appropriately concerned about old engines in old boats. The answer to that concern is a thorough survey and a sea trial.

[Photolomy]

I have to second that. I don't see any hate for these engines. They are just old.

[madhatter1]

Perhaps "hate" was the wrong word. But I have heard plenty of "avoid at all cost, time bomb, worthless, not worth rebuilding, etc.) on THT where every now and then someone is interested in moving up in size to and older SF or MY. Conversations always go south by second page and original poster gets no help and thinks it's not safe to move up unless repowered. Then budget is busted.

[rsmith]

ACtually there are quite a few sales of DD-powered boats, and the fact that those boats have DDs doesn't seem to hold back the market at all. Certainly not the way having Cat 3116s or 3126s would hold down the value of a boat. Or 3196s or 3176s.

People looking at old boats either expect them to have old engines, or be repowered with newer ones. In either case, you get an engine survey, you sea trial the boat, etc etc. DDs in particular are well-known for holding up, particularly in lower hp ratings, and high-hour DDs which will pass an engine survey and sea trial shouldn't scare anyone off. The vices of these engines, such as they are, are well-known and parts and service are still available. If I were looking for, for example, a Hatteras 53MY, I would expect it to have DDs and would rather have them in there than anything else they had originally. As an example, Cummins V8 diesels of the time were good engines, but the parts prices are now insane and finding people to work on them is more difficult than finding someone to work on DDs.

I don't see any hate going on against DDs. People are appropriately concerned about old engines in old boats. The answer to that concern is a thorough survey and a sea trial.

I only remember Hatt putting Cummins as an option in the series 1 45 and the 42c. The 370’s in the 45 were total junk back in the day you could tell a Cummins powered 45 because it was on the tilt. (Engine out) We came reall close to buying a 45 with the 370’s but thank god we didn’t. I saw that boat broken down with the engine hatches open all over Lauderdale for the next year. I new some people with the 903’s in 42 Hatts and 42 Bertram’s they were more reliable but I don’t remember anyone raving about them. The general feeling back in the day was they made great large commercial engines but their smaller engines were junk. Things have changed and every dog has its day. I did have a friend that had the triple nickel Cummins in a charter boat than ran every day. Said they were pretty much bulletproof.

[oscarvan]

The 46 I bought would need at least $150K to 200K to "properly" repower. By proper I mean quality install and fabrication

Based on what I've been reading on these pages over the last few years that seems high....

[Boatsb]

engines will run about $150-175k easy. Install, custom exhaust, mounts and rewiring easily $25k maybe more

[rsmith]

engines will run about $150-175k easy. Install, custom exhaust, mounts and rewiring easily $25k maybe more

And prices of everything have been jumping lately.